Leslie Jean-Pierre is a recipient of the 2012 Franklin H. Williams Awards for outstanding community service. Leslie served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guinea, West Africa as a Community Development and Public Health Educator from 1994 – 1996. He introduced and taught primary healthcare in the local middle school. He encouraged the rural population of 10,000 to take charge of their healthcare delivery system by promoting the philosophy of Primary Healthcare.

Following his service he worked as a Peace Corps recruiter for five years with the New York Regional Peace Corps Office (NRYO). In 1999, with the support of NYRO, Leslie created the Franklin H. Williams Award to help promote awareness of Peace Corps in the minority community. In 2001 he co-founded of the Minority Peace Corps Association and he remains an active board member.

Leslie has a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) from Long Island University, a Bachelors’ degree (BS) in Marketing from Johnson & Wales University, and a certificate in international development from the United Nations program at Long Island University. Before joining the Peace Corps, Leslie’s public service career included working in the office of the mayors of Providence, RI and Los Angeles, CA and for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He served in the U.S. Navy Reserves for eight years and received is Honorable discharged in the summer of 2000.

Leslie is the founder and chair of Little Black Village which is a nonprofit organization that promotes higher education, personal development, and international exposure for African-American youth. In November of 2013 he co-founded the Little Black Village Youth Passport Project which encourages youth to seek out study aboard opportunities and apply for their US Passport. Leslie is also the owner and Accounts Manager of Geeks and Company which is an IT and web hosting company. In 2011 Leslie co-founded the Southern Association of Black Peace Corps Volunteers where he remains an active board member. This Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) group has hosted many Peace Corps events with the participation of Peace Corps applicants, RPCVs, friends and family members, Peace Corps supporters and Peace Corps staff. It’s mission is Increasing the number of African Americans in the International Arena.